Shoplifting

What defenses might be available in a shoplifting case?

Have You Been Charged With Shoplifting?

DWI and Criminal attorney representation in Minneapolis, Minnesota since 1994. Shoplifting is a serious crime. All shoplifting offenses committed in Minnesota are punishable by jail time and can result in a permanent criminal record.

A Minnesota criminal conviction has serious consequences

Convicted shoplifters may find it nearly impossible to obtain meaningful employment, keep a good job, apply for a good job, obtain credit, keep a professional license or obtain a professional license. This is especially true if you are a professional or in school to become a professional. Such professions that deny certification or licensure to shoplifters include: nursing, teaching, medical, legal, law enforcement, accountancy, child care and public servants. In addition, employment fields where a background check will be conducted can result in denial of employment.

A plea of guilty resulting in a permanent criminal conviction for shoplifting, no matter how may be difficult to expunge. And trying to obtain an expungement after a plea of guilty resulting in permanent criminal conviction is very difficult and expensive. So you need make keeping a shoplifting conviction off your criminal record priority!

How Can I Keep Shoplifting Off My Permanent Record?

First, you should seek the counsel of an experienced criminal defense attorney. Do not consider pleading guilty until you have explored all of your legal rights and options. Even if you are guilty there are ways to keep this offense off your criminal record. Remember, trying to explain away the crime will do you no good; anything you say in court may be used against you. Trying to explain to the judge what you did may not be helpful. The judge by himself cannot dismiss your case and cannot give you advice. At the arraingment, the judge is only interested in two things: plead guilty or not guilty. Also, if you go to court, the Clerk may announce your name and your charge in open court-how embarrassing!

Here’s what you should do: Call Martin S. Azarian Criminal Defense, P.A. Martin S. Azarian Criminal Defense, P.A. has over twenty-two years of criminal defense experience, seventeen years in Minnesota. He has been able to keep the vast majority of shoplifting charges off his client’s records. In most cases you do not have to go to court, Martin S. Azarian Criminal Defense, P.A. will go to court for and fight for you!

The Consequences

Having any type of permanent theft conviction on your record has major negative consequences. Employers, landlords, credit bureaus, landlords, colleges, professional schools do background checks and they may find your conviction. No matter how minor the offense you may find it difficult to explain it away. Imagine you go to court alone, and plead guilty and avoid jail time. Think you did a good job representing yourself? Fast-forward five years and you are interviewing for your dream job and your potential employer asks you about your shoplifting conviction. What are you going say…it was just ten dollars? The discovery of the theft conviction may end the interview. It may cost you that job. No one can predict the future, but this could happen to you if you do not handle your case properly.

The key is to keep it off your record from the outset!

Shoplifting is a serious offense. All it takes is to make a bad decision one time and the consequences may remain for a very long time.

If you have been charged with a theft related offense or a shoplifting offense you need an aggressive, trusted, honest, knowledgeable attorney; Martin S. Azarian Criminal Defense, P.A. The Law Firm of Martin S. Azarian Criminal Defense, P.A. brings 22 years of experience to your case, seventeen years in Minnesota. When you retain him, you get his total of 22 years of courtroom experience. Period! What you need is aggressive representation that can achieve the best possible outcome for you. So call the Minnesota defense attorney who cares about your case by calling our office at (612) 343-9000 or call 24 hours a day at (952) 451-4987 for a free initial telephone consultation. For Information on Exungements please go to www.mnexpungementlawyer.com .

Need Help Now?

When you get the expungement if the motion is successful the court will then order not only it’s records to be sealed but also all records held by law enforcement or any potential agency. For instance, when I win and expungement motion the courts grants an order, in other words it issues an order telling… Read more »

Before 2015, it website much more difficult to actually expunge a criminal conviction or a criminal case and in fact, before 2015 it was impossible to expunge a case where the defendant had actually pled guilty and had a subsequent criminal conviction. There were a couple of exceptions but typically, if the defendant pled guilty… Read more »

You know, when clients and see me and ask me about an expungement it’s a topic that really I think excites the public and potential clients. An expungement is a motion or a request but it’s a motion typically drafted by an attorney with some experience asking the court to expunge or what’s commonly known… Read more »

Martin, I want to thank you so much for all the hard work you did for me. Not only did you get my case dismissed you did exactly what you promised, you went to court and fought for me. You had my case sealed. I can’t thank you enough for giving me back my future.

For three years I had a petty misdemeanor theft loom over my head. I had just finished my Master’s Degree and knew I needed to clear up my record in order for me to get started on a career. I had tried on my own to seek an expungement but to no avail. I did… Read more »

I retained Martin Azarian earlier this year. He represented me on a shoplifting matter. Without having to go to court, he was able to go to court for me and have my case continued for dismissal. I was so happy with result. He was very kind, understanding and thoughtful. He did exactly as promised. I… Read more »

Hennepin County DWI charges dismissed! Client was charged in Hennepin County with multiple DWI charges. Martin Azarian was retained to represent his client. After a thorough investigation of the case, Martin Azarian was able to convince the Minneapolis City Attorney’s Office to dismiss all charges!